Roadmap to the Cloud - 48software.com€¦ · 13 Roadmap to the Cloud: A Practical Guide to Enabling Enterprise Cloud When creating a Cloud roadmap, it is important to not only look

Roadmap tothe Cloud

A Practical Guide to Enabling Enterprise Cloud

Table of Contents

4. Introduction: Enterprise Cloud

8. Challenges of Cloud Migration

11. Three Steps to Enterprise Cloud: Initiation, Enablement, Innovation

18. Customer Success Story

21. 48Software Cloud Platform Offering

25. Roadmap to cloud OKRs template

Introduction: Enterprise Cloud

4 Roadmap to the Cloud: A Practical Guide to Enabling Enterprise Cloud

Introduction: Enterprise Cloud

Enterprise Cloud offers many benefits to an organization, including superior speed and performance for IT resources, more efficient utilization of IT resources, lower IT infrastructure costs, and lower IT operational costs with increased capacity to handle peaks in demand for business applications through an online platform.

Cloud computing also typically delivers Web services, providing access to components that can be easily combined to rapidly create composite web applications to meet the ever-changing needs of a business operation.

Cloud first saw widespread adoption in enterprise business as a way to streamline IT infrastructure and cut costs. It has now moved beyond that to become a tool for innovation and agility in an increasingly digital and competitive business environment.

In South Africa cloud migration has become a major trend for enterprise businesses. According to a recent study from the International Data Corporation (IDC) 93% of South African companies are either developing or implementing a cloud strategy.

A common problem is a lack of understanding around what migrating to the Cloud actually entails, and how making the move can benefit the business.

Moreover, while many companies are working towards cloud migration, factors such as a lack of infrastructure, data protection concerns, and a lack of cloud skills and expertise has held back implementation. This however is likely to change fast, as Cisco’s Global Cloud Index puts the Middle East and Africa cloud computing infrastructure growth at 42% per year from 2014 to 2019.

Types of Cloud Services There are a number of cloud services available to enterprise companies. The three main services include:

IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service):This model provides all the building blocks for Cloud Computing. These hardware-related services include things like storage, computers or virtual servers. IaaS offers a high level of flexibility and control over IT resources.

PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service): With this approach, the organisation doesn’t need to manage any underlying infrastructure, allowing the company to focus on the deployment and management of business apps. PaaS promotes overall efficiency.

SaaS (Software-as-a-Service): As the name suggest, this model includes a complete software offering managed and run on the Cloud by a service provider. An example of SaaS is a web-based email app, like Gmail from Google

Cloud Deployment Models

When looking at cloud computing for enterprise business there are several different deployment strategies, each providing businesses with a different level of flexibility and control.

The three main types of cloud deployment are:

The decision around which cloud deployment model to use generally depends on the needs of the business and they types of the data being used.

For sensitive corporate information a Private Cloud is often the best option as the data is stored on a private network that cannot be accessed by external parties. The flexibility of Public Cloud on the other hand makes it useful for everyday applications and supporting employee mobility. Hybrid Cloud can offer businesses the best of both worlds, keeping sensitive data and core business functionality in a private cloud while using public cloud options to introduce agility and innovation into the business.

Public Cloud: This deployment model sees the entire Cloud infrastructure located on the premises of a Cloud Computing company that offers a C loud service. The business has no physical control over the infrastructure and shares the service provider’s resources with their other customers.

Private Cloud: A private network is for the exclusive use of the company and is not shared with other users. It can be hosted externally by the service provider or on-premise. Levels of security and control are highest when using a private network.

Hybrid Cloud: Provides a combination of public and private cloud. With hybrid Cloud, businesses can deploy a mix of both public and private Cloud depending on their needs. This suits organisations that want to host critical business apps on private Clouds and apps with fewer security concerns on public Clouds.

Challenges of Cloud Migration


While most companies have acknowledged that could technologies are essential to any business that wants to remain relevant and competitive, when it comes to Cloud implementation many companies are struggling to bring the technology into their organisation in a meaningful way.

The realities of Cloud migration for a large business are both complex and daunting. As everything in the business world becomes increasingly digital, businesses are constantly being pressured to come up with strategic ways to stay ahead of the curve.

There are several factors that inhibit cloud adoption, including:

Speed of technological change: With the rapid rate of technological change, new tools are constantly being replaced by something better and faster. While companies acknowledge the importance of digital transformation, it can be difficult to know what to implement to get the best return on investment and longest lifecycles.

Working with legacy infrastructure: shifting on-premises applications to the cloud can be a complex task. The processes and applications being migrated can have numerous micro-processes, or need to access multiple databases, or have to integrate with various third-party elements. These components therefore need to be completely mapped and understood in order to create a seamless switch-over.

Having the right skills: a successful cloud migration requires a skilled team to ensure a smooth transition. Many companies are having to seek out skilled professionals to assist with implementing their cloud strategies. There is also a growing need to upskill existing employees so that they are comfortable transitioning to cloud based applications, processes, and workflows.

Challenges of Cloud Migration

Connectivity requirements: In order to successfully implement any Cloud based technology, process, or service in a business it is essential that all users have constant and reliable connectivity. As Cloud services are web based they require a high level of bandwidth with minimal to no downtime. Any failure in connectivity can result in major losses to productivity and effectiveness.

Security concerns:One of the major concerns around cloud technology for large businesses is the risk associated with outsourcing critical infrastructure and data security. When utilising cloud services, particularly public cloud products, the company is trusting the service provider that the resources they need to run the business will be available and that the provider will keep all data secure.

Finding the right partners:While business leaders understand the value of strategic partnerships, it can be difficult to find the right partners to truly help them realise their business objectives.

Unsure where to start:While a business may acknowledge the importance of embracing Cloud migration in order to stay competitive in an increasingly digital world, it can be difficult to know how to plan and execute such a large and complex task. Without a detailed Cloud roadmap and full buy-in from relevant parties, it is difficult to implement a Cloud strategy in a large business.

To overcome these challenges and implement a Cloud migration strategy it is essential that enterprise businesses formulate a robust Cloud roadmap to guide the implementation of enterprise Cloud.

3 Three Steps to Enterprise Cloud:

Initiation, Enablement, Innovation


Three Steps to Enterprise Cloud: Initiation, Enablement, Innovation

While there has been much talk about the value that Could migration can bring to a business, there is still a high level of confusion around what Cloud migration actually entails.

A standard Cloud migration will unfold across three distinct stages:

1. Initiation 2. Enabelment 3. Innovation


1. Initiation

The introduction of Cloud migration for an enterprise creates pressure on the organization. It is essential that you understand your enterprise goals and objectives.

Do thorough research on the cloud essentials and the impact of cloud on IT. Understand the business value, IT feasibility and success factors for your organization to deploy your applications in cloud.

When creating a Cloud roadmap, it is important to not only look at which systems to migrate, but also how process can be changed and updated to increase business performance.

Rather than simply moving a task into the Cloud it can useful to completely re-examine how it is done and what aspects of it could be optimised through the use of Cloud technology.

To do this the business must identify which applications can be moved to the Cloud, as well as what current tasks and processes can be done more efficiently or cost effectively using Cloud solutions.


When creating a Cloud roadmap, it is important to not only look at which systems to migrate, but also how process can be changed and updated to increase business performance.

Rather than simply moving a task into the Cloud it can useful to completely re-examine how it is done and what aspects of it could be optimised through the use of Cloud technology.


When creating a Cloud roadmap, it is important to not only look at which systems to migrate, but also how process can be changed and updated to increase business performance. Rather than simply moving a task into the Cloud it can useful to completely re-examine how it is done and what aspects of it could be optimised through the use of Cloud technology.


When migrating to Cloud technology it is important to identify a key initiation with a single owner with the knowledge of the business, clear understanding of the vision and strategy and a mandate with budget to execute. Together with a team within the business who will run the cloud migration project. This team is not only tasked with deciding what systems should be moved to the Cloud and what should remain in its current form, but also with getting buy in from key stakeholders at every level of business so that the solutions can be implemented effectively


3.2 Enablement and Integration

Once a business has planned out its Cloud migration roadmap it is ready for enablement and integration and the initiation team can move towards implementing the first solutions. In this phase large sections of the IT ecosystem within a company can be moved over to a Cloud environment.

When running the enablement and integration of Cloud technologies within an enterprise business environment, there are several key areas that need to be addressed:

API Management: the team must decide what APIs will be used or made available for what business areas and processes.

This will require many people from different areas of the business to work together to ensure that the transition goes smoothly. Management, technical staff, IT, security personnel, and HR must all be equally invested in the success of the project. This will support a company-wide culture shift, towards a more digital focused Cloud based business approach.


Core business data entity is a conceptual concept and encapsulation of one of more underlying tables. A data entity represents a common data concept or functionality, for example, Customers, Vendors Operation, or Finance. Data entities are intended to be easily understood by users familiar with business concepts.

Security and identity management: one of the main concerns around Cloud solutions is data security. it is therefore essential to have robust identity management policies in place to safeguard access to company data which is being held in the Cloud.

Creating an App rollout plan: once core systems and data have been migrated into the cloud it is possible to plan and develop various internal apps to support and enhance business optimisation. These include apps for the customer to support brand engagement and customer service, or apps for employees to support tasks and workflows.

Enabling connectivity: a key aspect of enabling cloud migration is ensuring that all users have access to the required levels of connectivity.

Many companies will begin their Cloud migration with a single application. This ‘guinea pig’ application allows the team to see what it takes to develop, test, deploy, and manage a Cloud application within the business. It is a stress test for the proposed roadmap and a way to gauge the reactions and uptake from end users. This will give the cloud migration team an idea of how other applications will be received and what kind of impact they can have on business effectiveness and optimisation.


3.3 Innovation

Once the Cloud strategy has been implemented and a business had moved its core IT functionality into the Cloud, the company can begin a true Cloud transformation. When executed properly Cloud migration is the first step towards a more innovative and cutting-edge business.

Increased agility: the rapidly scalable nature of Cloud makes it the perfect environment to test new business ideas, products, and processes. This gives businesses more agility to experiment, as they are not constrained by the physical infrastructure that is available to them.

There are a number of ways that Cloud migration can spur innovation within a company:

Unlocking new technologies: the scale and power of Cloud services mean that companies can use them to unlock new technologies that they would have previously had access to. This includes big data gathering and visualisation, machine learning, and AI capabilities.


Apps: once all the company data is hosted in a central Cloud based environment there are a number of apps the company can develop to support business processes and optimise customer service.

Digitalisation as a Service: enabling a Cloud environment also means that companies have the ability to plug in to existing apps, systems, or digital building blocks that have been created.

Cloud solutions enable a company to embrace digitalisation at every level of the business. By creating a company wide digital culture shift it is possible to optimise workflows, processes, customer experience, service, and communication within a business.

Cloud migration is not only about keeping up with latest business trends. It gives the business a chance to redesign and reimagine their IT ecosystem. By leveraging the benefits and possibilities of Cloud technology a company can become more innovative, using insight driven data to create transformation throughout the company.


Customer Success Story 1

Win ResultsExposing on premise application functionality through API development.

For Engen Oil, Surge Cloud Platform has been key in accelerating their cloud development in Azure. This digital strategy has been to develop a value chain with digital customer integration to improve customer loyalty and improve Engen’s competitive advantage.

Our cloud platform has been and will continue to be key in differentiating their B2B customer journey, increasing internal collaboration between business functions, enabling an empowered work force, increasing customer loyalty and creating a culture of innovation.

Enabled Cloud Identity Management through Surge Identity and AAD B2C.

Developed Mobile and Web Applications using exclusively Azure PaaS services in a micro services backend architecture.

Customer SuccessStory 2

Win ResultsArchitected and set up production-ready Azure Infrastructure and Application Subscriptions with best practice networking, security and monitoring.

“For The Foschini Group, Surge Cloud Platform have been key in accelerating their cloud development in Azure. Their first large scale enterprise application was developed using Azure PaaS services.

Our cloud consulting services enabled them to move out of the R&D phase and into a production ready Azure environment. ”

Implemented best practice hybrid cloud integration and development standards.• API Management• Azure PaaS services

Implemented best practice hybrid cloud application development standards, leveraging:• Azure PaaS micro service architecture • VSTS for a DevOps strategy

48Software Cloud Platform Offering


48Software CloudPlatform Offering

48 Software offers:

Cloud consulting• Cloud Application Strategy

Custom Agile Cloud Development• Cloud products• Cloud Identity Management using Identity

Server and AD

Digitisation Platform to accelerate• Customers development

48 software is a Cloud development team that simplifies application delivery through agile cloud development. By taking advantage of Cloud development components, they have developed and deployed highly scalable and secure products in a collaborative learning environment. Team was created off the back of the success of the Nebula Agile cloud development approach to share our competencies and learnings with our customers.

As a Microsoft Gold Partner, the 48 Software team takes advantage of cloud components to develop and deploy highly scalable and secure products while creating a collaborative learning environment.

With 48 Software your company can overcome complexity and build a consistent and reliable on-premises or hybrid cloud solution, with all the necessary data, infrastructure, and services.

We provide highly efficient, technology driven solutions to speed up and automate business operations and will help your company with its digital transformation strategy.

We have the ability to rapidly take advantage of digital market opportunities based on business needs, and develop a fully integrated and customer-centric digitisation solution using our agile development methodology.

Services:

Audit Service: A consistent way to log

audits throughout all applications

User Preference Service: Single point of reference for all your user’s settings

and preference, tied to their identity in Identity

Service

Logging Service: Gathers and consolidates

Audits and Logs from Audit Service and other logging

systems into one dataset in chronological order

Notification Service: Send push, SMS, email

communications from any application to a user with

a consistent look and feel, taking into account the

user preferences and with full auditability.

Webhook Service: The Webhook service

exposes an API and SDK to enable other services

to send Webhooks

Service Request: Single point of

integration with helpdesk and service delivery

applications.

Why Surge Cloud Platform

48 Software has experience with customer focused cloud application strategy development, and is knowledgeable on POPI, cyber law and cloud deployment. Businesses can leverage the 48 Software digitisation platform, deployed into its Azure tenant, to act as the foundation of the cloud transition, and then integrate back into the existing applications. Our Azure development best practices, reference architecture, and standards also accelerate your teams onboarding.

What does Surge Cloud Platform Offer:

Accelerated Cloud AdoptionSurge Cloud Platform offers a new approach to the complexities of cloud adoption and transformation.

Fast-tracked DevelopmentOur Cloud Platform consists of prefabricated microservices running in Azure Service Fabric to fast track cloud application development

Prioritise your Business NeedsYou are enabled to prioritise customer needs and your-go to market strategy instead of worrying about your cloud setup.

Always Responding to Market TrendsA platform developed by agile teams allows us to continually innovate and expand on platform functionality in response to market needs.

Expert Guidance and AssistanceOur highly skilled cloud team assists clients in forming a clear and holistic view of their cloud roadmap.

Roadmap to cloud OKRs Template


Roadmap to cloud OKRs

Objectives and key results (OKRs) is a framework for defining and tracking objectives and their outcomes. The framework is used for creating alignment in the organisation and it helps companies implement strategies.

This template is a guide on how to use OKRs to support organizations moving to cloud.

What is an Objective:

Objectives are qualitive and aspirational they are something your organisation and your team want to achieve. There should never be more than 3 Objectives, this will align your strategy.

Objective Examples:

• Successfully migrate to cloud and scale business capabilities • Be a frontrunner in your Industry and take over the majority of the market share• Migrate to cloud and drive business automation• Expand your business internationally

Your Objective:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Your key results:

•

•

•

•

•

• •

Key Results:

Key Results are quantitative they should tell you clearly what you want to achieve. Don’t have more than 5 key results, this will help the team stay focused. It’s important to establish a baseline so that you can successfully track your results.

Examples:

• Increase speed to market by X%• Reducing system maintenance by X%• Be able to tie Application Name, Application Owner and

Business Group to each cloud resource• Host network globally

Less important result:

These are the results that will help you reach your Key Results.

• Reduction in maintenance • International legal compliance • Availability

Your less important results:

• •

•

•

•

What are the initiatives?

These are the new and existing activities and operations you will follow that will help you reach your results

• Have a single cloud owner to identify a key initiation with knowledge of the business and understanding of the budget

• Identify new opportunities in the environment to drive profit and revenue • Asses you current IT infrastructure and application landscape to determine what to

rebuild, remove or refactor and establish cloud cost reporting and tracking strategy • Identify the right partner and cloud provider with hyperscale ability • Provide training to developers

Your initiatives:

•

•

•

• •

Who is responsible for what part of the Cloud migration strategy?

Select and announce the person who will take lead and make that person the OKR master to help with the migration strategy. Task owner example; (CTO) or (Lead Engineer)

Departments:

Development

• Cloud Architect • Cloud Engineer• Data Centre Operations• Analysts• Administrators • Developers• QA • IT

Corporate Support

• Finance • HR

Your departments:

Departments

•

•

•

• •

•

Mitigate Risk:

What you must do to help lower the risk when you want to reach your cloud objective successfully.

• Review laws and impact, do this on a global scale not only in your market

• Revisit your cloud usage culture • Learn from other’s failures• Put in place a cloud policy • Start small • Have close ties with your partners and cloud provider

Tips to put together your OKRs

• Review laws and impact, do this on a global scale not only in your market

• Revisit your cloud usage culture • Learn from other’s failures• Put in place a cloud policy • Start small • Have close ties with your partners and cloud provider

www.48software.com

Nebula Telecommunication

@onenebula

48Software

To find out more about Surge Cloud Platform, please send an email to [email protected] with “Surge” in the subject line, and a 48 staff member will contact you. You can also visit any of these platforms for more information and latest company news.

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Roadmap to the Cloud - 48software.com€¦ · 13 Roadmap to the Cloud: A Practical Guide to Enabling Enterprise Cloud When creating a Cloud roadmap, it is important to not only look